Over the last several months, we have met with the Governor's staff and Legislative leaders on the issue of outsourcing. The goal of these meetings was to communicate the Council's position that outsourcing is a necessary part of doing business in the global economy.

However, earlier this week, the FY05 State Budget Conference Committee Report was released which included an anti-outsourcing provision which was passed in an outside section of the budget. This provision did not go through the normal legislative process.

Specifically, this Outside Section 21 states: "No agency shall make a privatization contract and no such contract shall be valid if the services provided are from labor based or employed outside the US."

Because this provision can be VETOED by the Governor, we are asking for your help.
PLEASE EMAIL GOVERNOR ROMNEY BY WEDNESDAY JUNE 23rd to communicate your opposition to this Outside Section. A draft email, based on the Council's position follows. The entire position can be found at http://www.masoftware.org/public_policy/issue_offshore_outsourcing.asp

(Provide Company Information - Name, Product or Service, # Employees, City or Town:)
I am keenly aware and concerned about issues relating to the offshore outsourcing of jobs, but I believe that the outsourcing provision in Outside Section 21 of the FY05 State Budget Conference Committee Report will hurt the Massachusetts software industry as it competes both nationally and internationally. It will also significantly impact current and future job creation. This restriction on free trade is a bad precedent; already, other countries are considering prohibitions against US companies competing for international contracts.

Given the global environment in which the software industry operates,

--Companies must retain the flexibility to align operations and make workforce sourcing decisions as necessary to meet customer demands, and

--Companies must have the flexibility to build the best products and services at the most competitive prices.

We believe it is important for government to foster policies that are both conducive to increasing jobs here and encouraging foreign direct investment, and attracting international company jobs that leverage our unique resources and environment.

We support your incentive program to encourage companies to create and increase jobs in Massachusetts.

We urge you to VETO Outside Section 21 -- "Prohibition Against Outsourcing Jobs", which would create barriers to growth, innovation and job creation in Massachusetts.